Offset screwdriver with interchangeable heads

ABSTRACT

A flat bar having an extended flat surface is recessed adjacent one of its ends to receive any one of a plurality of screwdriver heads of complementary configuration. The configuration is preferably a regular hexagon having vertical walls. Some of the walls of the recess are provided with springs which are adapted to mesh with recesses present in all of the walls of each head so that each head is capable of a multiplicity of angular positions. Each head is provided with a differently designed screwdriver tip.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Theodore E. Wirtanen Chelmsiord.Mass.

211 Appl. No. 808,122

221 Filed Mar. 18, 1969 [45] Patented July 6, 1971 [73) Assignee TheUnited States of America as represented by the Secretary 01 the AirForce [54] OFFSET SCREWDRIVER WITH INTERCHANGEABLE HEADS 2 Claims, 3Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 145/50 [51] int. Cl B25b 15/02 [50] Field oiSmrch 145/50[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 398,986 3/1889 Strasser145/50 X 2,696,859 12/1954 Sommamm l45/50X Primary Examiner---GranvilleY. Custer, .lr. Attorneys-Harry A. Herbert and Ruth G.Cod1'er ABSTRACT:A flat bar having an extended flat surface is recessed adjacent one ofits ends to receive any one of a plu rality of screwdriver heads ofcomplementary configuration The configuration is preferably a regularhexagon having vertical walls. Some of the walls of the recess areprovided with springs which are adapted to mesh with recesses present inall of the walls of each head so that each head is capable of amultiplicity of angular positions. Each head is provided with adifferently designed screwdriver tip.

PATENTED JUL 8l97| 3590.895

FIGB

INVENTOR.

THEODORE E. WIRTANEN BY (Law ATTORNEY$ OFFSET SCREWDRIVER WITHINTERCIIANGEABLE HEADS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present inventionrelates to offset screwdrivers and more particularly to a tool providedwith replaceable heads and adaptable for use in many otherwiseinaccessible places and close quarter situations.

There is a need, and presently available sources do not provide toolsfor installing and removing screws in unusually shallow, restricted, andhard to get at places. Often it is necessary to dismantled equipmentalready assembled to remove or install screws and to provide tightening.of screws already in place. Furthermore, whatever tools are availableare designed for a specific use in a specific environment and lackadaptability. Varying requirements of design and performance haveresulted in the development of an almost infinite variety of head shapesfor screws, bolts, nuts and the like, and a cumbersome array of tools isthe required possession of each mechanic.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is toreduce the inventory of tools required by a mechanic, and provide adevice for him which is simple to operate, inexpensive to manufacture,and one which will provide him with access to otherwise inaccessibleplaces.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a simple toolwhich is in itself capable of coping with any one of the many types ofscrewheads which he daily encounters, by providing replaceable heads,each head in itself being capable of at least six positions of angularadjustment.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an offset toolwhich provides leverage not afforded by the ordinary screwdriver, andone which additionally provides the versatility described above. Thehandle is swung about the screw axis in cranking fashion to drive thescrew home.

The tool is designed with a flat surfaced handle which has a recess,preferably hexagonal, located adjacent one of its ends. The walls of therecess are perpendicular to the flat surface of the bar handle, and inat least one of these walls there is installed a spring, adapted toresiliently fit recesses provided in the walls of the heads which are ofcomplementary design and adapted to fit into this recess. The tool isequipped with as many heads and as many screwdriver tip configurationsas the mechanic will need. The operating tip arises from a flat surfaceprovided on the head which forms a smooth continuation of the flatsurface of the bar handle, and is right angularly offset.

The handle recess and tool heads are described herein and shown in thedrawing as hexagonal in shape. Any other regular polygonal configurationcan of course be used within the scope of the invention.

These and other advantages, features and objects of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following description taken in connectionwith the illustrative embodimerit in the accompanying drawing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a perspective view of the tool,showing one form of replaceable head in operating position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a head element equipped with one form ofoperating tool; and

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the operating end of the device withportions broken away to show the springs which hold each head in place.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A fiat bar 10, having a smoothsurface 1], serves as a handle for the tool, indicated generally by thenumeral 12.

A recess 14 is provided near one end of the bar, and within the area ofits smooth surface.

As shown in the drawing and as described, this recess, and

the heads 16 and I8 adapted to be fitted into it, are shown as hexagonalin configuration. Any regular polygonal configuration may be used, aspointed out above, since the object is to provide angular positioningversatility.

The heads 16 and 18 show two tool designs 20 and 22 respectively, risingright angularly from the flat surfaces 23 and 25, which surfaces form acontinuation of the smooth flat surface of the bar 10. The tool is thusrendered useful in situations where protruding instruments are incapableof being utilized. The tips 20 and 22 are intended to be representativeof any number of screwdriver tip designs which modern complex machineryrequires.

As shown in FIG. 3 leaf springs 24 are installed in two of the verticalwalls 26 of the recess 14. A spring recess shown at 28 is provided inall of the vertical walls 30 of each of the heads 16 and 18. It will beseen that the head 16 or 18, when it is inserted downward into therecess 14, will be firmly held, by the pressure of the springs 24 actingagainst the wall of the recesses 28, and further, that each, if it is ofhexagonal configuration, fitting into a hexagonal recess, will becapable of six angular positionings.

Although the invention has been described with refcrcnce to a particularembodiment it will be understood to those skilled in the art that theinvention is capable ofa variety of alternative embodiments within thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an offset screwdriver, a handle comprising a bar having anextended flat surface, a recess adjacent one end of said bar, saidrecess being of regular polygonal configuration, walls in said recess inperpendicular relationship to the flat surface of said bar, a springmember located in at least one of said walls for exerting pressure on ahead element placed therein to maintain said head element firmly seatedwithin said recess, a head for attachment to said bar, said head beingof a configuration complementary to said recess and insertable thereinin a plurality of angular positions, said head having a flat surfacewhich presents a continuation of the flat surface of said bar, said headhaving a screwdriver tip extending outwardly therefrom.

2. An offset screwdriver as claimed in claim I, wherein said regularpolygonal configuration of said recess and said head is a regularhexagon.

1. In an offset screwdriver, a handle comprising a bar having anextended flat surface, a recess adjacent one end of said bar, saidrecess being of regular polygonal configuration, walls in said recess inperpendicular relationship to the flat surface of said bar, a springmember located in at least one of said walls for exerting pressure on ahead element placed therein to maintain said head element firmly seatedwithin said recess, a head for attachment to said bar, said head beingof a configuration complementary to said recess and insertable thereinin a plurality of angular positions, said head having a flat surfacewhich presents a continuation of the flat surface of said bar, said headhaving a screwdriver tip extending outwardly therefrom.
 2. An offsetscrewdriver as claimed in claim 1, wherein said regular polygonalconfiguration of said recess and said head is a regular hexagon.